Mute
by AnimeCountDown
Summary: The new kid's got a thing for Sasuke. Funny how older brothers seem to always be right. SasukeXOC. Warning: Modern/OC/Yaoi. Rating may change.
1. Chapter 1

**I know. You all hate me - I've finished hardly any of my fanfictions, and I'm starting another one. Bare with me here, because The Choices We Make is almost done, and Amongst Hell Are Angels is steadily moving along. For others ones like Incubus, you'll have to be patient, because those are no where near progress. I've had super writer's block for ages, and I'm trying to get going again - I want to start on some Yaoi, because I've taken a really big liking to it. I don't know why, but it's almost scary. **

**Anyway, I know most people don't care about original characters, but I'm giving this a shot. The OC's name is actually the name of one of my characters in something else entirely. So, if I happen to actually finish my to-be novel and you see a book published the main character's name in there as the main character, then you know I've been successful, haha. But we all know I'm a long way away from that. But, I'm going to be taking AP English next year, so I'm getting better! Anyway, read on my faithful reviewers. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

The first day of school was always the worst.

It was an observation Sasuke had made long ago, and that opinion had never changed—even now as he began his senior year of high school with the people he had known nearly all his life. All of his classmates insisted on hugging him and squealing in delight, and he could have sworn that one girl nearly burst into tears at the sight of him. So, no matter how many times the relief of school came—of having the eight excusable hours away from home five days a week—the horror of "catching up" with his "friends" didn't exactly leave things on a good note.

What was almost amusing was the fact that nobody seemed to get the fact that he didn't want to be there. He had given up on refusing and rejecting long ago and had just endured it all since fifth grade. Most girls let it go for a while until they built up the insane confidence to advance on him again, but it was always worse on the first day of school—the day _everyone_ wanted a chance.

Apparently, not being victims of his cold glare and harsh put-downs for three months made them think he had miraculously changed, or maybe that _they_ had changed enough to the point where they were somewhat attractive. Sasuke was waiting for that day to come, but he doubted there _ever would _be a girl to catch his interest.

Given any chance, his brother would respond by suggesting that Sasuke was probably gay and didn't like girls in general, occasionally in the presence of his parents. Only Itachi could humiliate him in any way—why Sasuke put up with it, he hadn't a clue.

As rare as it was though, Itachi was wrong for once, and of this Sasuke was absolutely one hundred percent certain. The fact that all—actually, the majority of—his admirers were girls wasn't the problem; it was the traits and similarities they all possessed that turned him off.

For one, nearly every single girl that went to that disgusting private school was a bitch, a snob, and/or a slut. So, that eliminated most of the student body, whether the candidate for his affection was female _or_ male. Secondly, many of the young women interested in him were people he had known for years, and just the thought of dating any one of them was utterly repulsive—having stayed silent as he watched his classmates, he had learned some things better left unspoken of.

The biggest thing he didn't like about most girls was that they were too weak to handle the type of relationship he preferred. Whether the limitations were physical, mental, or emotional, he just hadn't found anyone up to the challenge; no one to fit the requirements needed in order to break down the barriers around his heart.

Plus, everybody thought that they knew him, or understood, or thought that they were just like him. It was the very thing that irked Sasuke, and the first person to say something even remotely similar to that just very well got sent to the nurse's office, and he to detention. The reminder of what would await at home allowed him to calm his nerves as a talkative blonde rambled on about how excited she was to see him again, how much she had missed him, how great it was they had a class together, and things of that nature. Actually, it _was_ amazing that she had managed to get into some of the classes he was taking—the girl wasn't too bright as he recalled

So "girls" weren't the problem, though he wasn't at all sickened at the idea of dating a guy, so he supposed Itachi was right in some way. While the male population had the tendency to have the ability to endure more than women and were more tolerable with the sanity they could grasp for more than a lucky ten minutes a day, they lacked a certain masculinity that made them just as bad as the opposite sex—or at least the gay ones at his school, as few as they were. Since he had never dated, never considered dating, and had never wanted to date, Sasuke didn't bother with figuring out exactly what his orientation was; he simply didn't care enough for it to matter.

That was until his calculus teacher entered the room ten minutes late.

No, it wasn't the laid-back silver-haired man that caught his eye, but rather the younger man at his side. Sasuke watched eyes as black as his own scan the room repeatedly, the emotionless gaze never lingering on one spot for more than two seconds. It wasn't clear whether the kid was analyzing the room or just paranoid, but the thing that clicked was that Sasuke had never seen him before, not in his entire life.

Not many kids were accepted into Konoha since hardly any could meet its standards—whether the limitations were set academically, athletically or financially. As far as Sasuke was concerned, there hadn't been a "new kid" at Konoha High School in at least six years—by now, everyone knew everyone, and the boy before them was an outsider.

"Good morning, and it's nice to meet you everyone," the teacher said cheerfully in a tone that was surprisingly not annoying. A long-fingered hand motioned for students to sit, and everyone did, speechless as they stared wide-eyed at this unfamiliar face. "I'm aware that this is probably a big surprise to everyone, but we have a new student that will be attending here at Konoha."

Sasuke watched as the boy settled on staring blankly at the back wall of the classroom, expression betraying nothing—it wasn't curious, nervous, scared, excited, or even bored for that matter. The only thing remotely humane he portrayed in his facial features and posture was a lack of interest in his surroundings.

"We're all friendly here," the Calculus teacher went on, smiling—even the teachers knew the students well. Introductions were hardly necessary, and by senior year, not at all bothered with by teachers, whose biggest priority was to prepare them for graduation and afterwards. "I'm sure you'll all accept him with open arms, but I'll remind a few of you unnamed ones to play nice. Does anyone have any questions?"

Sasuke watched as a few hands hesitantly rose in the air, and the teacher picked one that belonged to a familiar pink-haired girl that wasn't as irritating, but just as persistent as the others.

"Um," she spoke slowly, as if the question was obvious by the way she squinted her eyes at both the teacher and new student—Sasuke felt it coming and almost sighed when he was right. "What's your name?"

"Oh, of course," the teacher said, smiling and gesturing to the boy beside him, avoiding any physical contact, Sasuke noticed. "This would be Damien Krylancelo, everyone."

_Damien Krylancelo._

Sasuke had to admit it had a nice ring to it, and though it was merely a name, something about it simply fit the boy before him. Unusual or not, Sasuke could tell that this curious stranger was unique, and something about him was so fascinating, it struck a cord inside him that he'd never before heard.

Another hand rose, and the teacher nodded to the spiky blonde boy, bright azure orbs glistening with excitement—a troublemaker to say in the least, somebody who insisted he was Sasuke's rival.

"Are you emo?" the blonde asked, raising an eyebrow as an obnoxious expression overcame his features—the question rose laughter, though the teacher's scolding gaze quieted it soon after. "I mean, not to be rude or anything, but you're kind of asking for it. Your hair, clothes… Dude, do you even talk?"

The tension peeked, and with a tiny twitch of his head behind his locked fingers, Sasuke watched as a flash of something different passed in those onyx eyes. It was almost a glare, but it was gone too quickly for Sasuke to confirm the brief look of anger, of irritation or frustration—something he wasn't able to define or place. His teacher paused, biting his lip softly, and then sighed and shook his head slowly as if he were unsure of himself. Then it came and hit them all like a ton of bricks.

"Damien is mute."

No one in the class seemed to have anything to say, and the boy—_Damien_—met each of their gazes so blankly, so emotionlessly, Sasuke had to wonder if it outdid his own stoic expression. It was a wonder, really, that a student would be accepted with a physical handicap or disability; Konoha High _was_ a school that based everything on its reputation, and didn't waste its time on things that required extra effort unless it was well funded for. The question crossed his mind vaguely—how in the world had this kid got in? There were only three ways: with high test scores and good grades, with an ability to play sports with an above average potential, or with money from parents who insisted their child attend.

Sasuke himself fit into two categories actually, and while he didn't like the idea of being on a team or projecting his skills in front of other people, he was sure he'd be able to fit into the third if he wanted to—sports weren't his thing. Unfortunately, the money-thing was due to his family's background, and he had the top scores in the entire school and presumably state according to something his teacher had said last year.

Of course, this only ended up giving him more unwanted attention from classmates and teachers.

It was then that he noticed the twinkling expression in the girls' eyes, a look of admiration and awe—it was the same way they gazed upon Sasuke. Damien seemed unfazed by it; maybe he was just as used to it as Sasuke was, but whatever the reason, his cold gaze made each of them turn away. Sasuke felt himself smirk, something he rarely did: a display of what he was feeling inside, and at this moment it was amusement.

That's when he looked at him.

Sasuke blinked, expression unchanging as Damien turned his eyes to him so suddenly, it was almost as if he had done something wrong—but Sasuke could see the blankness in his eyes, the way it showed he didn't care. They were empty, or maybe too full he just couldn't tell anymore what he was thinking, feeling…and so Sasuke did the only thing he could do, something he then decided he didn't mind doing. He stared back.

The teacher was talking again, and though Sasuke automatically let himself listen, his thoughts remained on the boy before him. He started taking things in as the teacher's words came to him, telling him things about the boy as he looked upon him himself.

"Damien has moved here from Italy if anybody was wondering. I would appreciate it if some of you would form a type of communication with Damien; I think it'll be a good experience for all of you."

His hair was like Sasuke's brother's—jet-black and straight—but it was much shorter, thick around his entire head. Though the dark locks didn't exactly reach his shoulder, it was still relatively "long" considering Sasuke could hardly see anything except the right side of his face.

"He's rather shy, and it may take some time to get used to him, but I'm sure he'll fit right in if you give him the chance to."

High cheekbones, sharp features, and eyes that looked deadly without emotion made chills threaten to creep up his spine. There was something intimidating about him, but it only made him seem more interesting in his own way. His body was actually quite small, lean and fit with a stance that radiated confidence and power. Sasuke could imagine muscle beneath the smooth, flawless pale skin that was so white, it seemed to glow.

"So, Damien, if you could take a seat wherever you wish, I think we'll be able to get the lesson started, don't you?"

Sasuke watched as he moved, a single upward glance at the teacher out of the corner of his eye, and then he walked with graceful, long strides that made it seem like he was floating. The dark fabric of his jeans and hoody contrasted against his skin so bluntly it made his features seem almost angelic. With each step, hair shifted over his face, swaying around his head as if to show how soft it really looked.

Sasuke was stunned to discover how perfect this being really was.

And was even more shocked when Damien took the empty seat next to his.

The oddity itself was that a seat near him was actually free—there had been times when full-out fights had been started over whom would sit by him. Now, though, it seemed that he had succeeded in driving away the admirers, as Damien was now sitting beside him, the bag Sasuke hadn't noticed before shifting off his shoulder and falling down to the floor with a quiet _thud_.

The class continued, but the presence of Damien beside him kept bugging him throughout the entire hour. Though the attention of most of his classmates remained on both him and the person next to him, Sasuke couldn't focus on anything _but_ the boy near him. It almost scared him, but he pushed the unfamiliar fear into the "curious territory" and left it alone…or tried to.

But as the class ended, and Sasuke stood, his gaze met Damien's once more. It was then that Sasuke knew that he wouldn't be able to just ignore this new student; it wasn't within his ability.

And that was enough to piss him off.

* * *

It turned out that Damien was in every one of his classes so far, and it was the same for each one. Not only in calculus, but also in history _and_ English, the seat beside him always seemed to be occupied by the same image of white and black. He hadn't said a word to the kid, since Sasuke figured it'd be fairly pointless to start a conversation with _anyone_, let alone someone who was incapable of holding one.

So, by lunch, Sasuke was quite angry.

The fact that some random stranger could have such a powerful effect on him only made him more irritated. He didn't show it of course—his classmates weren't worth the humility he'd have to sacrifice to show him his vulnerability—but his self-control was slipping steadily, especially when, as soon as he sat down at a vacant table, the seat across from him slid out.

Eyes filled with annoyance—the same ones he used to disperse fan-girls—glared up at Damien, but the boy seemed either oblivious or immune to the stare that had most people crawling into a corner. Not allowing the sigh building inside his throat to come forth, Sasuke proceeded to ignore him and turned his attention to the food, which of course held little of his advertence anyway.

Five minutes later, he couldn't stand it—he was like a fucking shadow, and though Damien hadn't done anything, his inconsistent stare, on and off, was bugging the shit out of Sasuke. Inhaling silently, he closed his eyes, feeling the inhuman stare on him for the fiftieth time during lunch. He counted to ten before turning to Damien and lifting his eyelids slowly, summoning every bit of intimidation from his core and focusing it on the gaze he met Damien's with.

It was completely blank.

Though he managed to glower at him, he felt the strangest, most unexplainable urge to apologize for overreacting, for treating him with disdain, for being the asshole he was. None of the thoughts running through his mind made sense—the only thing he could make out through the muddles of idiocy that had invaded his brain were those torturously beautiful black eyes. Beautiful? Yes, there was definitely something wrong with him.

Was it a type of hypnotism or some freaky voodoo shit? Sasuke highly doubted that, and a part of him was skeptical to believe Damien even knew what he was doing, how he was making Sasuke feel. Hell, the fact that he could make Sasuke _feel anything_ was a miracle in itself, and as much as Sasuke hated it, he had to give the kid some credit.

Whether it was impressive or not, though, it had to stop. _Now._

"Do you _want_ something?" he hissed, pushing his tray away and crossing his arms over the table. He leaned over them, as if he were pondering just how to make Damien go away, hardly a bit of effort put into being as frightening as humanly possible.

But it didn't work—Damien only tilted his head to the side, hair shifting to fall over his face, further blocking it from view. A part of Sasuke screamed when it did that, but he merely blamed it on instinctive teenage hormones and attempted to push the thought away. Sure, he was attractive, but anyone would think that the moment they took a look at him…though it was odd his features would have any effect on _Sasuke._ He was the cold, heartless being of Konoha High, the "human ice cube" as the dense, spiky blonde from before had once called him. Why would he even notice something as simple as how curious, how innocent Damien's expression was, or how he wanted so badly to move all of that silky hair away from the picture-perfect features of his face.

Baring his teeth, he took in a deep breath, and mentally noted how noticeable his frustration probably was now. How long would he be able to keep his cool around this random freak who had decided to just follow him around everywhere? Or was this a joke, something the male student body had come up with to finally get under his skin, something those incompetent morons had never been able to do.

"Look," he murmured, wishing hopelessly that no one saw him actually talking to this new kid. He was sure that some of the angry, envy-consumed girls had noticed how much time Damien was "spending" with him, and the fact that he was actually speaking first was more than he had done to more than half of female population at Konoha. "I know you're mute and all, but no one said anything about you being deaf or illiterate. So, you either tell me what the hell your problem is, or you get the fuck away from me, because I really don't need you tagging along beside me. Got it?"

Apparently, he did, even though he didn't comply and leave the table.

He didn't write something down for Sasuke to read.

No, he did something that stunned Sasuke to the point of speechlessness, and while he wasn't much of a talker, Uchiha's could at least _think_ of something mentionable. But when Damien merely blinked once, and then slowly straightened himself, hair falling back into place flawlessly…

He smiled.

It was the most unearthly thing he had ever seen in his life, and when those lips upturned in the slightest way, it wasn't fake or mocking—it was purely…_sweet_. Sasuke kept himself from gaping, but he couldn't keep the small part of his lips, and though his mind registered the unfamiliar way his eyes widened by a centimeter, losing the hateful glare they _always_ possessed…he couldn't do anything about it.

For the first time, he couldn't do a single thing to defend the way he actually felt—he was dumb struck, unable to snap or growl at this person he didn't even know. Without a single word, Damien had struck down the first of his barriers in three hours. And then Sasuke realized that he was staring straight at him, unmoving and completely unguarded—the smile on Damien's face too captivating, too…too…_beautiful_.

Scowling, he turned away, pushing away from the table with a loud screech as his chair slid across the floor roughly. Turning all of his attention away from his surroundings, he completely ignored the silence that dropped onto the cafeteria, the curious wide-eyed stares, and left the room. It was the first time he had done anything at all that would draw attention to himself, except actually walking into the room.

But that creepy little _bastard_ had managed to crack his armor, get a rise out of him that nobody else had proved capable of doing until now. Why was this kid different than all the others who strived for his affection, the attention that was undivided for no one? He hadn't even known him for a day, and he hadn't even said a word, and yet…

Was it just the way he looked, so…Sasuke shuddered when the word entered his mind: _seducible_. How he had sat there with that model's face and that naïve, untainted smile, so angelic and… Sasuke snarled, body twitching to slam his fist into the nearest wall. What the hell was wrong with him?

* * *

"So, how was everyone's day?" his mother asked nonchalantly.

They sat around the rectangular, mahogany table in their dining room, the crystal of the lit chandelier above them throwing colors onto the ceiling and upper sections of the walls. Below, however, the view was not nearly as enticing, as his father's stern gaze fell upon his sons from the head of the table.

It took everything Sasuke had to keep from shifting uncomfortably under Fugaku's almost-glare. When it came to school, his classmates, an idiot looking for money out on the street, Sasuke could take care of himself no problem. But where his father was involved, there wasn't a thing he could do without feeling stupid or not good enough, like a child searching for the love he'd never receive—because that's exactly what he was to Fugaku.

"Itachi?" the menacing voice of his father filled the air like sand, suffocating Sasuke with body its tone and its words—_Itachi_.

"Hm?" Sasuke felt a spark of awe flood through him, washing away his uncertainties as his brother looked up with that beautiful, slightly—and falsely—surprised, caught-off-guard expression, as if he hadn't heard or word, as if he hadn't been paying attention. Then he acted as if he just then understood, showing his parents that the matter was of no importance to him, saying, "Oh," and then shrugging as he turned back to his food and continued, "My day was quite uneventful." It was then that his amazing big brother would look to his left, directly at him with one of those rare, reserved smiles and ask, "What about you, Sasuke?"

Sasuke couldn't help the smile that breeched his lips as he glanced up at his silent mother, his irritated father…and his expectant big brother. Though he always came in second place to Itachi in Fugaku's eyes, his brother always seemed to make an extra effort to make a little more room for Sasuke in their family, no matter what. There wasn't a time when Itachi had let him down like that, ignored him in front of his parents. Never. He always made up for their negligence.

"Not much happened," he muttered, and then shrugged as his brother had—he saw the corner of Itachi's lip twitch, threatening to smirk. Sasuke was about to smile, too, when something crossed his mind that mad his lips turn down. Brow furrowing, he stared at his food as he continued, "Except we got a new student in the senior class today."

There was an odd pause in the air, and Sasuke was surprised to discover that Fugaku had actually been listening—when he looked up, coal black eyes were on him curiously, and he flushed under the stare, mentally scolding himself for acting like such a child just because his father had_ looked at him_. Fugaku then raised both eyebrows briefly in a way to show that he was also taken aback by the news, turning his gaze to the food before him.

"That certainly is something," he said, and then shook his head as if remembering something. "I think that school has had maybe six new students to come there in nearly two decades."

"Konoha certainly does set its standards," Mikoto commented, nodding with a small smile. "You boys are lucky you were able to attend."

"Just born in the right place at the right time," Itachi murmured softly, and though the tension that seeped into Fugaku's body told everyone that he disapproved of Itachi's reasoning, their father did and said nothing. Itachi then glanced at Sasuke out of the corner of his eye with a tiny, understanding smirk and asked, "What classes are you taking this year?"

"Um," he began, but was cut off by Fugaku's sharp gaze.

"You shouldn't stutter," he snapped, and Sasuke merely looked away, back at his food—he was definitely used to this. "If you hesitate, you'll sound unsure of yourself. Always speak with confidence, Sasuke."

"Yes, sir," he muttered, swallowing the lump that was building in his throat, blinking the burning sensation away from the eyes that were threatening to water. He then diverted his attention to his food, pushing a piece of broccoli around his plate absentmindedly.

"Don't play with your food," Fugaku added, glaring at him through ebony bangs. Sasuke froze, jaw clenching as he stared at the half-empty plate in front of him. "You shouldn't act so childish."

"Fugaku…" his mother breathed, a tone that wasn't at all threatening—Mikoto didn't have the ability to sound intimidating half the time. That, however, was exactly what made Fugaku drop the common subject of "Sasuke's an idiot" for the night.

A moment passed before Sasuke took in a deep breath, not raising his gaze as he asked, "May I be excused?"

"You're not hungry?" Mikoto asked, glancing at her son with a familiar look of worry and concern. Sasuke gave what probably wasn't a very reassuring smile and shook his head.

"Not really," he said, and he prided in himself when his voice didn't crack, when he didn't choke.

"If you insist on being such an ungrateful son, then go," Fugaku muttered, and though it was a somewhat fair answer to his question, it came out more as a command than anything else.

Biting back every smartass comment he could have snapped back at his father—every single thing Itachi could've have said without a single form of punishment—Sasuke gently moved away from the table, picked the plate off the table, and walked silently into the kitchen. He shoved what was left of his dinner into a plastic container and put it in the refrigerator, rinsing off his plate before setting it next to the sink where his mother would wash it properly later that night. Then he moved back through the dining room, past the table where three perfect beings sat like a perfect family, content with him not being there.

It made things a little better when he caught a glimpse of Itachi watching him curiously out of the corner of his eye in the reflection of the antique mirror hanging on the wall. Forcing himself to remain quiet, he left them and moved upstairs without a word to reside in the sanctuary of his room.

* * *

It didn't take very long for the knock to come, though it had seemed like eternity since Sasuke had known it was coming—since he had been eagerly awaiting it ever since he had stepped into his room. Pressing 'pause' on his iPod, he settled his gaze on the ceiling above his comfortable position on his bed and spoke as clearly as he could, "Come in."

There wasn't a single ungraceful hesitation or pause as his elder brother calmly opened the door to his room and walked inside, closing the door behind him. Sparing Sasuke any words for now, Itachi came to stand beside Sasuke's bed, setting a plate on the bedside table and taking a seat beside his brother. Sasuke let his head fall to the side so he could look at Itachi straight in the eye, not a sideways glance or anything else that would deny Itachi the respect he deserved. Plus, Sasuke couldn't help but revel in the attention Itachi always gave him, the looks of what had to be love, what his father never had time to surrender to him.

"You really should eat," his brother finally said, and Sasuke couldn't help but wonder at how much more thoughtful the simple comment was than what his father had said, how much of a difference it really made. "It's not healthy to ignore your diet."

"So what?" he scoffed, not able to retain his anger now that his father wasn't with them—Itachi did nothing when Sasuke looked away. He did, however, make a move when Sasuke muttered dryly, "Like anyone would care if I starved anyway."

It was a second later, and Sasuke was pinned to the bed, the weight of Itachi's body pressed down onto his chest. Grunting at the sudden pressure pushing down on him, Sasuke stared up into furious, scarlet eyes. He felt himself grow warm under his brother's gaze, at how close they were, and how intimately Itachi had thrown himself against his brother—even if his lungs were slowly beginning to ache.

"You contradict yourself, little brother," Itachi hissed, and Sasuke shuddered involuntarily beneath him, eyes closing at the angry tone of his brother's voice—since when did Itachi get _mad_? "Either make up your mind or open your eyes."

He knew that Itachi was speaking in figurative terms, but Sasuke cracked his eyes open as silent surrender, staring up at him quietly. Only Itachi's eyes, the unnaturally fiery depths that captured Sasuke's attention so many times, could betray his mysterious older brother at times, and even then he was unreadable. There were only occasions when Sasuke was able to summon an anger in Itachi, and it made his heart swell in his chest as he was reminded what had gotten Itachi to act so humanly.

"You lie, and you know it," Itachi growled, and Sasuke sucked in a deep breath, only to find that it didn't fill his lungs like it should have. Gasping, and then choking on the empty air around him, he let out a pathetic whimper, twitching under the weight of his brother, the one denying him oxygen. "Speak as lightly as you just did again, and you won't receive as much mercy. Unless you want to prove our father to be correct on your lack of thankfulness, then I suggest you watch your tongue." Itachi moved an inch closer as he added, "_Understand_?"

"Y-yes," Sasuke coughed, nodding weakly. He forced himself to grasp the air and turn it into words, attempting to stare at his brother through watering eyes. "I u-understand."

And then the weight was gone, and Sasuke sucked in a breath harshly, eyes flickering closed. It took all his strength to keep from hacking, but he focused most of it on observing his surroundings without his eyes—he felt relief fill him to the brim when the mattress didn't shift beneath him, when Itachi didn't leave him.

"You should eat, little brother," Itachi whispered, and Sasuke opened his eyes to see the same, blank look Sasuke carried every day on his brother's face. He smiled softly and complied, nodding and sitting up, taking the plate without a single hesitation and digging into it, glancing at his brother expectantly.

He was thrilled to find a small smile on his features, eyes on him once again—Sasuke felt as if he were glowing. Then Itachi crossed his legs and placed his hands delicately in his lap, looking at Sasuke with a loving, brotherly expression.

"You never answered my question," he reminded him, and when Sasuke tilted his head, mouth too full to talk, Itachi tacked on, "About your classes."

"Oh," he muttered, and then felt himself turn the brightest shade of red when some of the food that had been in his mouth fell out, back onto the plate. His brother had the decency to ignore it, only allowing his emotionless mask to lessen as his smile grew and his eyes grew warm. "Uh, well… I'm taking English, calculus, history…um…biology and French. And then there's gym, of course."

"Who are your teachers?" Itachi asked, and though Sasuke had no idea why Itachi would have any care in the world who his teachers were, he glanced back down at his food, trying to remember names—he had never been good at that.

"Um…there's Hatake…Yuhi, Guy…um, Yakushi, Uzuki, and…Sarutobi," Sasuke recited, blinking and glancing at Itachi.

"I had Hatake when I was in high school," Itachi told him, giving him a reassuring smile as he said, "He's a good teacher, so you should like his class. I didn't have any of the others, though I heard when I was younger that Sarutobi and Yuhi are good."

"Yeah, I guess they're not that bad," Sasuke muttered quickly to himself, and then frowned. "Itachi, has somebody ever affected you in a way you can't explain…that's different from the way you feel about everyone else?"

"Is this about the new guy at your school?" Itachi asked curiously.

"Maybe," he breathed lightly, waiting for Itachi to joke about it.

"Well, to answer your question, no," he admitted, and then shrugged, ruffling Sasuke's raven-colored hair with a small smile. "But maybe that just proves how much luckier you are, little brother. Just go with whatever you feel is right, okay? Go ahead and eat. I'm guessing you'll have a big day tomorrow."

* * *

**Okay, so I want to point out a couple of things down here. **

**One, I'm trying to portray a certain type of character in each of the people in this story. Obviously, the Uchiha family is a main focal point. Sasuke is the moody teenager who wants to simply be left alone, but finds his new feelings aren't so bad as they might have been. Itachi is the loving older brother who always encourages and supports his young siblings despite his occasional teasing. Fugaku is the verbally abusive father who takes reputation to be more important than the family's actual emotional well-being. Mikoto is the mother who has to put up with everything quietly yet firmly, loving both her boys and her husband equally. **

**Damien is the one you guys are going to have to get used to. I love that name: Damien Krylancelo. I had to use it here, but this person's character is a lot different than the original Damien in my other thing. So, he's pretty much a mystery at this point, but he's enough of a distraction so that Sasuke deliberately acknowledges him. **

**If you review, than I will continue this story. Each chapter will be around 5,000 words (about 11-13 pages) so it's evenly balanced in the text. Things will be moving kind of quickly, because I want to finish this story and move on to the ones I haven't finished, plus an Itachi and Sasuke chapter fanfiction I'm doing that I think a lot of people will really enjoy. Anyway, review please. **

**AnimeCountDown**


	2. Chapter 2

He was by him again, and though it irked Sasuke, he didn't allow it to get under his skin. More so than a shadow, it was as if Damien was a puppy, following him with expectant eyes and a sense of sweet innocence about him. Keeping in mind what Itachi had said, Sasuke let the new kid do as he pleased, since in actuality, he wasn't really _doing_ anything to affect Sasuke personally.

Removing his books from his locker silently, Sasuke kept his face straight as Damien stood by his side. He noted with a fraction of amusement and curiousity that the boy kept his distance, about two feet away from Sasuke. Either he really was shy or the kid wasn't stupid—he knew not to mess with Sasuke's space. As soon as he shut his locker, though, Sasuke was reminded that Damien was probably the _only_ one who respected that.

"Hey, Sasuke!" the blonde chirped happily as she stepped up beside him. He looked at her blankly and blinked, not saying a word as she went on, "It's been such a long time since we've been able to talk, and I was just wondering if you ever considered that offer… You know, the one I made last year."

"No," Sasuke answered calmly and easily brushed past the girl. He didn't bother to check if Damien followed him—he probably would. The girl certainly did, though.

"Um…'no' as in you haven't considered it yet?" she asked, almost hopefully. Sasuke knew she was contemplating on which would be better: if that was his answer or if he hadn't thought about it at all.

"No," he repeated with a sigh, and pitied her enough to spare her a cold glance. "No, as in, I'm not interested."

"Oh…are you sure?" she questioned, slipping closer to him, biting softly on her lower lip. He glowered and shifted away from her as he walked toward his classroom.

"More than anything in my life," he hissed, and then left her, her face fallen and full of sorrow. Sighing, he cursed to himself, "Damn, fan-girls."

It was only when he sat down at his desk and glanced to the side that he nearly jumped in surprise to find a single black eye staring at him with innocent curiousity. Sasuke blinked once, then sighed and turned away from him. He closed his eyes as he spoke, folding his arms on the desk.

"It's impolite to stare," he murmured under his breath. He cracked his right eye open to glance at Damien, who gazed at him for a moment longer before taking his own seat. Without pause, he began to arrange the items on his desk absentmindedly, not too concentrated, but seeming entirely focused as well. Sasuke didn't know what compelled him to do so, but he asked in a low voice, "Did you hear that? My conversation?"

The boy paused, and then looked at Sasuke in mild surprise, as if he hadn't expected Sasuke to continue talking to him. Tilting his head as if in thought, he shrugged nonchalantly, but didn't look away, instead staring at Sasuke as if he would say something else.

"You don't know?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow in disbelief. Damien blinked once, his emotions totally guarded again. Sasuke hadn't a clue what his classmate was thinking. "It's a simple question, yes or no. Or are you really that stupid?"

"He's not stupid."

Sasuke clenched his jaw and glared up at the person standing on his other side. The pink-haired girl smiled brightly at his acknowledgement and then gestured to Damien, who was also staring at her, though more emotionlessly than Sasuke had managed. It made Sasuke want to punch him—another look at the flawlessness of his face made him slap himself mentally. Like hell he could punch anyone who looked like _that_.

"You know how I work in the office sometimes, Sasuke?" she continued, and he raised an eyebrow. It surprised him that he _did_ know that, but he merely grunted in response and she smiled. "I mentioned Damien to the principal, and she said that his grades are almost as good as yours! Of course, they aren't _that_ perfect, but they're certainly better than mine!"

That, at least, pleased Sasuke. If Damien had been better at hiding his emotions _and_ smarter, Sasuke very well may have tossed the boy out the window. He knew the girl wouldn't lie, though, as she was one of his more dedicated fan-girls. Sasuke nodded to her and she gave him another cheery smile before skipping off to her seat, easily ignoring the other girls' envious glares. Many of them didn't like her because he could tolerate her more easily, but he chose to ignore it as well.

This made him ponder why he was able to handle Damien. Maybe it was because Damien _couldn't _talk to him, which was how most people got on his nerves. He glanced at the boy to find him fiddling with his right sleeve, and Sasuke immediately found the action endearing. A curious thought entered his mind.

"How old are you?" he asked, and Damien turned to look at him again, taken by surprise once more. It amused Sasuke that the boy had become so used to his habits already—he already knew to keep his distance, and apparently, he had also caught on that Sasuke didn't talk much himself, especially on his own accord.

There was only a moment of curious hesitation before Damien held up seven fingers, tilting his head at Sasuke, as if thinking. Sasuke raised an eyebrow before reminding himself that the kid wasn't an idiot. Obviously, he meant he was seven_teen_ rather than actually seven.

"Really?" he asked, and the boy nodded, almost in a confused fashion. Sasuke supposed that it wasn't uncommon, considering he was a senior…but Damien just didn't act like it.

It might have had to do with the fact that he was mute and unable to communicate as easily as he should have been able to. He just acted so modest and shy, like a small child filled with curiousity. But then Sasuke remembered how Damien had been when Kakashi had first introduced him the day before. With the most stoic pose he had fought off all the stares, and Sasuke wondered what the sudden change was. Was he defensive about something or just cautious about coming to a new school? Why had he transferred anyway?

As the questions filled his mind, Sasuke shook his head at Damien to drop the subject and looked away. This kid was invading his mind, and he needed to find a way to get Damien out of his head. Why was he so important anyway? Sasuke sighed and firmly told himself that Damien _wasn't_ special.

But his heart didn't want to agree.

* * *

The next few days followed in the same routine. Every morning, Sasuke would go to his locker and find Damien by his side a few seconds later, and they would go to first period without so much as a greeting to the other. Class would end, they would go to the next one, and so on until the day ended. By the end of the first week, Sasuke had managed to shake off most of the student body, enough so that only a couple girls approached him every now and then.

It surprised Sasuke how easily it was to make room for Damien in his life. It took only a couple of days for Sasuke to realize that he _expected_ Damien to be at his side at all times. There were even occasions when Sasuke found it was more of a benefit than a nuisance. If there happened to be a case where Sasuke had forgotten something like a pencil or book, Damien would have a spare or let Sasuke borrow his own. If Sasuke had misplaced something, Damien would miraculously know where he left it.

In a way, it was like having a little brother, almost, because it seemed that Damien was always doing things to help him, to please him. Sasuke continuously found himself pondering over why Damien was so clingy. Did it have to do with his disability or had Damien simply taking a liking to him? Did it make Damien comfortable, having someone to follow? Was he scared to be alone?

It seemed to be a reasonable answer, and the subject seemed a little touchy, so Sasuke left his wonderings in his mind. Damien seemed extremely fragile, and he didn't want to do anything that would set him off. Plus, there was no reason as to why he would ever get mad at Damien.

Even when the topic came up at dinner one night.

"So, Sasuke," Fugaku began, and said boy nearly choked on the piece of meat in his mouth. He swallowed it down without coughing and turned to his father, hoping his eyes weren't watering. "I've heard a lot of good things about that boy at your school, the one that transferred. Makes perfect grades, never gets in trouble, and always does as he's told. He seems like a nice boy."

"He is," Sasuke forced from his mouth. How was it that his father could compliment some kid he didn't even know rather than his own son? It made his throat tighten.

"Really?" Mikoto asked, smiling brightly at Sasuke. "Have you talked to him at all?"

"Well…I suppose…" Sasuke murmured, and cringed when Fugaku's warning glare shot across the table at him.

"Speak up, Sasuke," he said, voice deep and gruff, an example of the command he was giving. "If you have something to say, make sure everyone hears it. Otherwise, you're wasting your breath and other people's valuable time."

"What do you mean by 'I suppose'?" Itachi asked curiously before the reprimanding could continue. Sasuke took a breath and made sure he knew what he was going to say be attempting to speak. The air became tense at his awkwardness.

"It's only one-sided," he said, not wanting to bluntly announce Damien's inability to speak. "I've said a couple things to him, but he never said anything to me…"

"Well, that's rude," Fugaku snorted, shaking his head as he took another bite. He chewed, swallowed, and then turned to Sasuke. "You should always answer one when they speak to you, even if it is not a question."

He hadn't even done anything, and Fugaku was _still_ giving him orders. Of course…he supposed he _was_ a bit rude whenever he ignored his fans…but they were _everywhere_. If he talked to _all_ of them, he'd have lost his voice by now!

"Yes sir," he simply agreed with a nod. He saw his mother frown and sigh.

"Maybe he's just shy," Mikoto suggested, and before Fugaku could say a word, Itachi laughed.

"Or maybe he was just too dumbfounded when Sasuke spoke to him," he chuckled, smiling at Sasuke encouragingly. Sasuke offered a small smile back as Mikoto laughed as well. Fugaku didn't think it was funny, but said nothing.

"Actually, it's neither of those things…" Sasuke said, but trailed off in hesitance when his family looked at him in surprise in unison. Blushing lightly at the unfamiliar attention, he took a deep breath and said, "He's kind of…well, um…he's mute."

Fugaku didn't say anything about his stuttering this time.

Sasuke watched in wonder as his entire family became disoriented, not at all the perfect Uchihas they were all supposed to be. His father's fork was in midair, and a piece of broccoli dropped off its end. His mother was wide-eyed and her hands trembled beside her plate. Itachi was staring curiously at his food, head tilted in a thoughtful posture.

"But he _is_ nice," Sasuke continued with a tiny smile, staring at his food. "He never does anything wrong and he's actually really good about helping people out if they need it. I guess you could say he acts a little shy, but I think it's not because he's mute. I think it's just his nature, his personality. Even if he wasn't mute…he'd be the same."

"You seem to know him very well," Fugaku observed, and Sasuke looked up in surprise.

"I do?" he asked, hoping it wasn't the wrong question.

"You certainly describe him easily," Fugaku said, nodding. "Have you spent a lot of time with him?"

"Yes," Sasuke admitted, and blushed when his family looked at him in surprise again. Fugaku froze, Mikoto nearly dropped her fork, and Itachi looked at him as if he had actually been caught off guard, a curious and interested expression on his face. "We sit by each other in all our classes."

"All of them?" Fugaku asked slowly, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Sasuke said again, and then continued, "I was surprised, too, that we shared all six classes. We're partners in biology and gym and we sit together at lunch. I guess you could say I've been showing him around and stuff."

"Did a teacher assign you to do this?" Fugaku questioned, and Sasuke wondered if his talking to someone was really that much of a shock.

"No," he said casually, shrugging. He didn't mention that Damien followed him like a shadow. "We just sort of… I don't know. I'm sorry, but I don't know how to explain it exactly."

"Oh, but that's wonderful," Mikoto exclaimed, and Sasuke looked up at her in surprise. The other two men did the same. "Maybe we should have him over for dinner sometime soon."

"Uh, Mikoto, I don't think that's a good idea," Fugaku said, clearing his throat and shaking his head at his, as if sending her a message with his stern eyes. Mikoto pursed her lips together, but acted dumb.

"Why not?" she asked innocently, but before Sasuke's father could answer, she continued, "I think it'd be excellent. We've had Shisui over hundreds of times for Itachi."

"Shisui is part of the family," Fugaku protested, and Mikoto nodded in compliance.

"Very distant family, but I suppose you're right," she said, but then smiled at Fugaku charmingly. "But it would be unfair to deny Sasuke the right of a guest. It'd be good for him to learn how to be a host, wouldn't it? This boy seems very nice and polite, so I don't see what the problem is."

"Don't you think it would be awkward?" Fugaku growled, and Mikoto managed to summon an absolutely terrifying glare, the kind that used to send Sasuke to bed without another word when he was little.

"No," she answered, voice tight.

"It's okay," Sasuke interrupted, and winced when Fugaku's piercing glare caught him, angry at the unnecessary intrusion. "He'd probably by shy about it anyway."

"Well, I, for one, think it's a great idea."

Everyone paused and looked at Itachi. The man was smiling, looking casual and proud of himself at the same time as he took another bite, pretended to think, and then swallowed.

"Meeting the people Sasuke associates himself with would give us an excellent opportunity to make sure he's staying in the right crowds," Itachi reasoned, with no one in particular. Sasuke could see his father's walls falling. "Plus, if this boy has any relations with significant persons or companies, it would help set a good name for the Uchiha family _and_ create a personal bond between them. I agree with Mother as well. It would act as a great chance for Sasuke to build on his skills as a host, seeing as how he'll be graduating soon."

There was only a breath of pause, and then Fugaku sighed and said, "Well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt."

"Excellent," Mikoto giggled, and then thought for a moment. She turned to Sasuke brightly and said, "Tomorrow is much too soon. We'd seem rude for such a short notice offer. But this Friday seems fine. Be sure to ask him. He could even stay the night if you want, Sasuke."

"Uh…okay…" Sasuke murmured, taking the last bite of his food. "I'm done… I think I'll go do some homework."

Nobody said a word to him as he left the dining room.

* * *

"Hey…"

Damien blinked and looked up at him through wet black locks expectantly. Sasuke took one look at him, sighed, and then averted his gaze, ashamed at where his thoughts were heading. He stopped them before they got far, but that didn't mean they hadn't crossed his mind before.

They were in the locker room along with the rest of those leaving fifth period gym. Sasuke was already dressed, and normally he would have left, but today he lingered, standing a few feet away from the only person he could imagine as a friend. Damien always took a little longer for some reason, though Sasuke never paid him any attention, and now he seemed shocked that Sasuke was waiting for him. A frown passed over his face, and Sasuke figured it was only because Damien feared Sasuke was about to tell him for a second time to get lost.

Even if he wanted to, though, Sasuke knew he probably wouldn't be able to. At the moment, Damien was straddling one of the three benches in the locker room, staring up at him with wide eyes, his hair clinging to the features of his face, wet from the brief shower he had taken. Damien had been tying his shoe or something, but now his hands fell to the space in front of him on the bench as Sasuke diverted his attention solely to Damien for the first time since the first day of school.

"Um…look, I'm not sure how to say this or anything…" he began, but paused when Damien blinked, his eyes widened, and then his face fell. Sasuke saw actual emotion cross Damien's face, a look of hurt and abandonment. Sasuke growled and turned away for a moment, putting his face in one hand, thinking, "Damn…"

He looked back at Damien, hand not moving from his gaze as his eyes shifted over to the solemn boy. He was playing with the sleeve of his jacket again, staring at the bench helplessly. Sasuke sighed, wondering how the hell a seventeen-year-old guy could look so fucking defenseless like that.

"It's nothing bad," Sasuke muttered, capturing Damien's attention. The boy glanced up without moving his head, pausing. "It's just… Well, I kind of mentioned you last night to my parents, and…well, my mom wants you to come over for dinner or something this Friday."

Damien looked up, surprise coming over his features. Sasuke held back a grimace, his left eye twitching slightly at the look on Damien's face. He seemed stunned, as if unable to think of what to say… Sasuke paused and then shook his head, rephrasing the thought in his head: unable to think of what to _do_ was more appropriate. It was so damn hard talking to this guy. How was his family going to fare on Friday? That was…if Damien accepted.

Now, he was tilting his head, as if thinking it over, still staring curiously at Sasuke. He wouldn't have been surprised if Damien was wondering why the hell Sasuke had been talking about him, but he knew that Damien would consider it a good thing.

Then another smile, and a tiny nod, a blush tinting his cheeks.

So. Damn. Innocent.

Sasuke himself blushed when a couple thoughts crossed his mind, one being how cute Damien looked at the moment. Cursing himself for such thoughts immediately, he turned away with a scowl.

Sasuke made a mental note to never wait for Damien after gym again. Who knew where his mind would end up if he did?

* * *

"Don't you think this is just a little overboard?" Sasuke said with a scowl, glaring at his snickering old brother.

Itachi was currently fiddling with Sasuke's shirt, folding and unfolding the sleeves and then messing with the buttons. The invasion of personal space was really starting to get to Sasuke, but he couldn't bring himself to shove his giddy brother away. What the hell had made Itachi so eager to meet Damien, Sasuke hadn't a clue, but he was fairly sure it would help him at dinner. Fugaku was already pissed about the whole thing, so Sasuke was half expecting his father to embarrass him thoroughly. How much respect would Damien have for him then? He scoffed at the answer that came to mind.

"Of course not, little brother," Itachi murmured, running his hands down Sasuke's chest to smooth whatever brave little wrinkle survivors were still left on the blue fabric. "This is how we are."

"But isn't it a little overly formal?" Sasuke asked, glaring. "We'll seem stuck up."

"My foolish little brother," Itachi laughed, and then placed a hand on his head. "We're Uchihas. We _are_ stuck up. Act like it for once."

"No!" Sasuke exclaimed, and settled on glaring at Itachi, who was still chuckling, then crossed his arms and looked away. "It doesn't matter anyway. Don't you think this is a bad idea anyway? What happens if he can't answer a question? I mean, he's _mute_. He can't talk."

"We'll just ask yes or no questions," he said, shrugging. "We're only trying to be polite, Sasuke. Inviting him here probably makes us seem like we're trying to overcome his physical disability, which I suppose we're sort of trying to do. Just don't provoke Father, all right?"

"I could do that in my sleep," Sasuke snorted, and then shook Itachi off of him. "I look fine, Itachi."

"Sure," Itachi snickered.

The laugh sounded the precise moment the doorbell rang.

Sasuke sucked in a deep breath as his heart lurched painfully and began to beat hard in his chest, throat, and wrists. He stole a quick glance toward the mirror, eyeing the button-up formal shirt and the light khaki dress pants his brother had tossed at him from the depths of his closet. Did he really…?

"You look fine, little brother," Itachi whispered in his ear, and Sasuke jumped around to glower at him. Itachi only gave him a loving smile, melting his anger like ice. "Don't worry. Everything is going to be fine. He is staying over, isn't he?"

"Yeah," Sasuke muttered with a shrug. "He said it'd work out better, 'cause his parents are going out of town, or something like that."

"Did he now?" Itachi asked curiously, and Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"What?" he asked, and then Itachi smirk made his mind click. "No, jerk! He wrote it down! Let's just go before Mom thinks we're dead up here."

"Okay," Itachi said, still laughing lightly, and then lead the way downstairs.

Oh, God, he was breathtaking.

Sasuke caught the breath he wanted to take to make sure Itachi didn't notice his reaction, but Damien's gaze met his as soon as they walked down in to the dining room. Again, it was the usual black with Damien, but damn, did it make a difference.

Black silk shimmered against Damien's flawless pale skin, the cuffs unfolded over his palms, the first button undone. His black formal pants were tighter than the jeans he usually wore, showing off his slim, long legs. Though it still covered half of his face, his hair looked shiner, neater. All the defiance and lack of emotion from school was totally gone from his features when he looked up and gave one of those beautiful smiles.

"He almost looks like an Uchiha," Itachi murmured over his shoulder, and Sasuke smirked when he realized his brother was right.

Dark hair, dark eyes, pale skin, and a tendency to be cool, calm, and collected—Damien fit all the requirements. Only Itachi had been blessed with any sort of difference in his appearance, having eyes of ruby rather than onyx.

"Hey," Sasuke greeted, coming to stand beside his brother on the bottom floor. Damien blushed and gave him a tiny nod, looking tiny even when beside Mikoto. Sure, Damien was taller, but he looked just as fragile and small.

"We're glad you could come," Itachi said, and Sasuke heard the velvety smoothness in his voice. He noticed the flash of mesmerized awe in Damien's eyes as his friend turned his gaze to Sasuke's older brother.

Typical.

"So, is dinner ready, Mom?" Sasuke asked distractingly, and Mikoto smiled with a nod.

"In just a moment," she said, and turned to Damien with her motherly smile. "Just make yourself comfortable until everything's ready. I'm very pleased you'll be joining us tonight."

Damien nodded again, in thanks and as an answer of acknowledgement, and watched as Mikoto hurried into the kitchen, her semi-formal evening gown swishing around her legs.

"So, you're taking the same classes as my little brother?" Itachi asked, and Damien's eyes landed on Itachi. Sasuke smirked when he saw the same look in his friend's eyes—the way they seemed so full you couldn't tell what the kid was feeling or thinking. Damien nodded once, and Sasuke saw Itachi's curiousity grow at Damien's odd behavior. "That's interesting. And Sasuke mentioned you're from Italy? Is it nice there?"

Damien seemed to have to think about it, tilting his head and slipping his hands into his pockets smoothly. After a moment, he shrugged and nodded. Sasuke immediately knew what the boy was saying: _"Kind of, but it's nice here, too." _It almost scared him, how well he knew Damien by now, but it made something inside him stir.

"I see…" Itachi murmured, and when Sasuke glanced up at him warily, Itachi was glancing back and forth in between his little brother and his classmate curiously.

"Oh, um, Damien," Sasuke said, starting when he remembered he hadn't introduced the two yet. "This is my brother, Itachi. He works part time at an ammunition and weapons shop downtown, but he's usually with my father at the station. Itachi, this is Damien."

"A little late, brother," Itachi chuckled quietly, ruffling his hair with one hand. Sasuke let out a long breath and let his older brother mess up his neatly done hair—if his father asked, he knew Itachi would take the blame. "But good thinking."

Sasuke paused when he saw Damien tilt his head to the side, eyes sparkling with the smile that reflected on his lips. Did their behavior as brothers amuse him? Sasuke smirked at him—his friend replied by bringing his fingers to his lips, body trembling lightly in a silent giggle.

"What?" Sasuke laughed, tilting his head in the same direction Damien had. Immediately, a familiar blush began to creep up his cheeks, so Sasuke shook his head and let his friend act weird. "You'll love dinner, anyway. Mom is a great cook."

"Yes, but it's a shame my little brother here never picked up any of her talents," Itachi snickered, and Sasuke glowered at him, ignoring Damien's soundless laughter.

"Oh shut it," Sasuke snapped, refraining from hitting his older brother. "Like cooking is important."

"Trust me, little brother, it is very important," Itachi told him, settling his hand on Sasuke's head again. "Right, Damien?"

Sasuke turned to Damien expectantly, but blinked when the kid gave him a shy smile and nodded a couple times. He glared playfully and shook his head in disagreement, resulting in the light pink color that came to Damien's cheeks.

"You two are crazy," Sasuke snorted, and then tilted his head curiously. "You cook?"

Damien nodded again with a shrug, and Sasuke smirked—why the hobby seemed to fit Damien's personality, he wasn't sure, but it was kinda…cute.

"All right," his mother sang, beaming as she came out of the kitchen. "Dinner's ready."

* * *

**Okay, so this isn't exactly one of my more popular works, but I still like experimenting with Sasuke and other guys. It's fun. Hopefully, you can see the slow transformation inside Sasuke. At first, he thinks Damien is super annoying and wants him gone. Gradually, he begins to subconsciously admit that the kid is helpful and pretty cool. Then, he begins to consider Damien a friend. Now, it's getting to the point that Sasuke is starting to think of Damien in a more attractive way and is noticing certain physical and personal things that Sasuke likes about him. Obviously, this attraction is mutual. Eventually, it will grow and become loving rather than simply infatuated, maybe even sexual if I feel like it. Review and tell me what you want to see. **

**AnimeCountDown**


	3. Chapter 3

Awkward. Really, really…_awkward_.

Not only did his father actually show up, surprising everyone except poor, naïve Damien, but Fugaku was already pissed and ready to kill. Eating suddenly became something to do in absolute silence, and Sasuke could tell Damien sensed the unusual tension. Every so often, his narrow black eyes would glance up to watch the family in a mix of curiousity and uncertainty.

Sasuke hated life. He hated people. He hated just about everything. He just wanted to get the dinner over with, go to bed, and wake up the next morning—the reminder of Damien staying over was slightly thrilling.

"So, Damien, is it?" Fugaku suddenly said in his deep, intimidating voice, breaking the silence with as much class as a drunkard. Damien's wary gaze shot up to meet Fugaku's, and Sasuke inhaled sharply as the tension rose even higher. Across from him, Mikoto watched carefully and Itachi pretended to ignore what was happening by taking a large bite of stir-fry.

It was then that Sasuke realized his father was waiting for an answer—he mentally cursed the bastard, and then cleared his throat.

"Yes, Dad," he said, making sure to speak up and raise his chin properly. His father looked at him for a long moment before turning back to Damien, whose eyes were dangerously alert.

"I see, well is there a particular reason your parents decided to give you that name?" Fugaku asked, and when Damien shrugged to say he didn't know, the older man shook his head in mock disappointment, saying, "I've been told it's the name of the anti-Christ, the devil's spawn."

Sasuke felt his mouth threaten to drop, but settled on simply letting his eyes widen. He saw Damien blink once, his expression frozen in shock at Fugaku's blunt rudeness. Itachi seemed somewhat surprised, but continued to eat his food nonchalantly, silently. Mikoto shifted uncomfortably, glancing in between the men at the table.

"Fugaku…" she said slowly, and his father gave them all a look that said it was a simple fact, and then he shrugged, something he hardly ever did.

"Well, I suppose a name is a name," Fugaku relented, and Sasuke relaxed a little, before going on, "Plus, if the devil were to chose a human to do his evil for him, he would chose a fully functional one, wouldn't he?"

_Oh. My. God. _

This time, Sasuke's jaw really did drop, and he found his eyes beginning to sting when he didn't blink for a minute. Everyone was completely silent, unmoving and not sure what to do in the situation.

Mikoto was closing her eyes, looking both angry and embarrassed, her pale cheeks flushed lightly as she tried to reign in her patience. Itachi's eyebrows were raised in initial surprise, his lips parted as if he actually hadn't seen it coming. Of course, neither had Sasuke, who had never been more furious at his father than he was at that moment. He wanted to rip Fugaku's eyes out, who was looking faintly smug, but still rather displeased by the events.

Damien, of course…he looked absolutely stunned. Sasuke saw his lips tremble lightly, as if he were able to say something, but then it seemed he remembered he _couldn't_, and he pressed his lips tightly together and looked down… His hair shifted in front of his face, shielding his eyes, head bowed just slightly…

He was ashamed.

"But of course, I'm sure the disability isn't your fault," Fugaku continued, and Sasuke shot a glare at his father. What the hell was wrong with him? "I'm guessing you were born this way."

"What _way_, Father?" Itachi asked, and Sasuke glanced up and witnessed the anger in his brother's eyes for himself. Fugaku ignored Itachi's obvious fury, even when he continued, "I believe you're being extremely unreasonable."

"Then again, I'm sure you weren't born with all that unruly hair and dressed completely in black, like one of those drug addicts living behind a gas station," Fugaku went on, and Sasuke opened his mouth, prepared to say _something_…but he couldn't. Why? "Like an ungrateful teenager who thinks hurting himself will get him a little more attention, as if his _problem_ isn't enough. Would it really have been a bother to make yourself presentable? You could have at least brushed back all that hair, or gotten it chopped off."

"_Fugaku_," Mikoto hissed, and the table fell silent for a long moment. She didn't take her infuriated gaze away from her husband, who returned the stare relentlessly. Finally, she said quietly, but threateningly, "That is _enough_."

Another moment went by, and then Mikoto turned to Sasuke with eyes that were still angry, but with a more understand expression.

"Why don't you go ahead and take Damien upstairs, Sasuke?" she suggested, and Sasuke nodded quietly, hating himself. Why couldn't he have just said something? He already knew why. "Itachi, could you help me with the dishes?"

"I'd be happy to," Itachi said tersely, and moved away from the table with a jerk and another cold glare towards Fugaku.

Sasuke wished he had the guts to do the same.

* * *

In his room wasn't much better, Sasuke realized. The tension didn't drain away or die down when he softly shut the door and glanced over his shoulder at Damien—he seemed even smaller than usual in his state of shock and distress. Sasuke hesitated, opening his mouth to say words he didn't know yet, and Damien noticed the pause. One visible dark eye turned to him expectantly, waiting for him to say _something_.

Now, at least, Sasuke knew he should…but it was too hard. Damien seemed to get it, too, because he smiled in a grim, sad, understanding way, and then turned away from him, standing awkwardly in the room. Sasuke closed his eyes, wishing he could simply die right there—he was a horrible person, and now Damien was going to hate him. So, he said the first thing that came to mind.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, and opened his eyes to see Damien turning his head to acknowledge his words—Sasuke knew he was hoping he would say something else…so he did. "You don't have to worry about who or what you are, Damien. My father is an idiot… He shouldn't have said anything. I'm so sorry."

At that, Damien turned to him, an accepting look in his eyes now. He straightened a little and then tilted his head at Sasuke curiously. Sasuke returned his gaze, knowing that his friend was thinking. About what, Sasuke would never know, but he smiled sadly at Damien, and when the boy did the same after a small pause, his heart started beating again.

Silently, Damien nodded, and then glanced around curiously, observing the room with peeked interest. Now that Sasuke had calmed his nerves, it seemed he was keen on resuming the night with as much normality as he could pull off. Sasuke chuckled and walked to his side, shrugging at him, looking at the shelves of CDs and books, his computer, his guitar, and the large, darkly adorned bed.

"Yeah, I know," Sasuke said, shrugging. "It's pretty boring in here."

Damien looked at him with a shake of his head, and then he took two graceful strides, spun elegantly and lowered himself onto the edge of Sasuke's bed, crossing his legs and leaning back on his arms with a smile. He blinked once, and Sasuke watched as Damien's head tilted slightly, hair shifting over his face. Damn, he was so…

So _what _exactly?

"What?" Sasuke asked, smirking at Damien and narrowing his eyes at him. He could play along…it was sort of like a guessing game with Damien. The boy's smile grew, becoming sly as he blinked once, long lashes casting shadows across his high cheekbones. Sasuke gave him a playful look, in which Damien responded by biting his lip seductively—where had this behavior come from? "Oh, you wanna play?"

Sasuke inwardly choked when he heard the words come from his own mouth, but his expression betrayed none of his inner shock. What the hell was wrong with him? Yet, Damien simply stared him down, looking so much like he wanted Sasuke to jump on him and fuck him senseless.

The thought crossed his mind before he could help it. Hormones buzzed to life inside Sasuke, his eyes lighting up as his body flushed with a sudden wave of heat. He was about to say something when Damien suddenly blinked and looked at the door, his expression wiping blank.

The knock came a second later.

"Come in," Sasuke called, turning to the door with a raised eyebrow. Had Damien heard the person at the door?

"Hey," Itachi murmured, shifting inside and shutting the door behind him. In his hands was a large plate of what they hadn't finished at dinner. Sasuke smiled thankfully, and Itachi moved to set the plate on the bedside table, saying to Damien, "We really are very sorry our father would do something like that. If there's anything we can do to make it up to you, just let us know. Anyway, if you're still planning on staying over, you can finish eating up here. Sasuke usually does that, so he's used to it, but just let us know if we can make it more comfortable for you here."

"I've got it, Itachi," Sasuke interrupted with a small cough, smiling somewhat overly pleasantly at the older Uchiha. His brother turned to him, looking somewhat surprised at the hint to leave, but then a flash of understanding came over his features, and then a different kind of shock.

"_Oh_," Itachi said softly, slowly, nodding once. "All right. In that case, I guess I'll leave. I'll tell Mom, you've, um…" There was a tiny cough, and Itachi smiled at Sasuke, who raised an eyebrow as he finished, "_Got it_. 'Night, Sasuke. Damien."

"Goodnight," Sasuke said, and watched Itachi until the door closed. When silence took them again, Sasuke paused, and then glanced at Damien. The boy had already made his way to the food, and glanced up with an innocent smile when Sasuke smirked. "Still hungry?"

Damien nodded, popping a piece of chicken into his mouth and smiling. Sasuke wondered vaguely if the boy knew what he had been thinking earlier, but disregarded it as insignificant when Damien went on eating. He looked so young and untainted; there was no way Damien could ever have such perverted thoughts—_ever_.

Sasuke sighed and pulled the chair away from the computer to sit in it across from Damien. What was with the random hormones that were driving him insane? Never had anyone affected him in such a strong manner, and now it seemed that the more he spent time with Damien, the more…the more he found himself…

It was just that Damien was so addicting. Sasuke let his eyes roam over Damien, who was unaware of Sasuke's gaze, or at least seemed to be. He was so lean and slim, and his face was too angelic. Everything about Damien…well…to be honest…

It turned Sasuke on.

Sasuke took a deep breath as he inwardly admitted to himself that, yeah, he _was_ attracted to Damien, and very strongly at that. Maybe Itachi had been right—the thought fascinated him more than disturbed him. The more he gazed at Damien, the more it seemed that there was a reason he was here, in Sasuke's house…in his room. On his bed.

Shaking his head minutely, Sasuke contemplated the idea of ending up in a relationship with Damien, and realized that the odds weren't so low as one would figure. Sure, his dad would explode, but he was sure his mother would be supportive—Itachi would find it amusing, of course, but he wouldn't judge Sasuke. Plus, it wasn't like the girls at school hadn't seen it coming. If they hadn't, they were dense. Of course, _Sasuke_ hadn't known he'd fall for the new kid during his senior year… Would it just cause trouble? If so, his hormones were better left ignored.

Because that's all it was: hormones. Looking at Damien, Sasuke could honestly say that his feelings for Damien were as strong as the ones he felt for Itachi—purely and completely brotherly and friendly. Sure, Sasuke could be a little friendli_er_ with Damien, but the point still remained. He was physically attracted to _a friend_…to Damien.

Was this good or bad? He figured it simply _was_. What he would do about it depended on what ended up happening from that point on. Now that he had freely admitted that Damien was undoubtedly hot, there was more room for him to be open and honest with himself—he could let his simple-minded focus expand. He remembered what a couple of classmates had mentioned over the years: "friends with benefits." The concept didn't seem to fit Damien's nature, and he didn't want to use Damien. Maybe it _would_ be best to let the hormones die down. In all of Sasuke's eighteen years, he had never had any "action" or even had a girlfriend, so it was clear that the hormones Damien triggered would come on a little strong and be hard to handle at first due to his age. With time, though, Sasuke was sure he'd be able to ignore them and simply be friends with Damien.

Looking at Damien now, however, Sasuke realized that that time wasn't anywhere close.

"I really am sorry about what my dad said," Sasuke murmured, and Damien glanced up at him in what seemed to be both surprise and understanding—he had been expecting Sasuke to say something, but he hadn't been sure what of. Sasuke shrugged and continued, "He's a real jerk…and I'm sorry I didn't say anything to him. I guess I'm just an ass. But I am sorry."

Damien smiled and shook his head lightly at Sasuke's self-discrimination, and then nodded knowingly and pointed to himself: _"Me too."_

"You're…sorry?" Sasuke guessed, tilting his head in confusion. That didn't make much sense—Damien apparently thought so too, because he let out a soundless chuckle and then gestured with his hand as if he were writing, glancing around for paper. "Oh, hold on."

Quickly, Sasuke went around his room and searched his shelves, gathering up a working pen and a notebook with a couple sheets of blank paper left. He came back and handed them to Damien, who took them and wrote delicately in his beautiful handwriting:

_My parents are the same._

Sasuke tilted his head further and blinked. He had never thought about the fact that Damien had parents, too. It was obvious that he would, but he wondered about how it would be to live with Damien—or worse, to live with his own father if _he_ were mute. He looked at Damien and blinked. His parents were the same…how?

"They insult your friends?" he laughed, and Damien trembled with laughter again before shaking his head and sending Sasuke a tiny smile. Quickly, he wrote again:

_They like perfection. I'm not perfect. _

Sasuke blinked and then understanding came over him. Damien had been born with a physical disability, which had made his parents disappointed in him for his entire life, without him ever having done anything wrong. Sasuke realized that life really must be hell for Damien, that Damien probably _was_ lonely, and that's why he had clung to Sasuke since the first day of school—he had picked a host and latched onto him like a parasite.

Sasuke was his shelter.

"Oh, that sucks," Sasuke sighed, and gave him a look of sympathy and hope. "Yeah, my parents are like that. Well, my dad is. Don't worry about it, though. I like you whether you're perfect or not."

Sasuke wasn't sure where the words had come from, but it took them both by surprise—he could see Damien's eyes widen and soften at the same time. He blinked himself and then tilted his head, thinking over the words he had just spoken. With a tiny smile, Sasuke realized that he had meant what he had said, and returned Damien's surprised gaze bravely. Damien wasn't perfect—but that made him an even better person.

It shocked him, though, when water built in the rims of Damien's eyes. Panicking, Sasuke looked around hurriedly for a box of tissues or a towel or _something_, all the while wondering what the hell he had done to upset Damien.

Then arms were encircling his waist, warmth seeping into his system. Freezing, Sasuke looked down, stagnant as Damien pressed his head to his chest, black locks brushing the bottom of Sasuke's chin. His grip wasn't tight, but it was enough for Sasuke to realize the silent meaning behind the gesture: _"Thank you."_

With a small smile, Sasuke let his own arms wrap around Damien's smaller form. The boy inhaled and then released the breath in a sigh of contentment, relaxing against Sasuke completely. Not letting himself think, Sasuke gathered Damien and lifted him from the bed, finding Damien to be incredibly light. Before he knew it, the boy was in his lap, leaning against him comfortably, his head resting in the crook of Sasuke's neck.

Yes. Sasuke could used to this.

* * *

There was something about sleeping with a guy that was extremely…right.

Sasuke felt the smirk on his lips twitch a little as Damien shifted in his sleep, body rubbing against Sasuke's subconsciously. He glanced down at the smaller, dark-haired boy and let his fingers run along Damien's sides, shifting the thin, loose cloth covering him. It was completely dark in the room, with only the light from an incomplete moon making anything remotely visible—everything had taken on a bluish-black tint, but Damien's skin glowed like white porcelain.

Again, Damien moved, attempting to find a more comfortable spot for his body, naively unaware of the things it was doing to Sasuke's. Dark eyes closed again, glad that the rest of the house was asleep, that even if someone _did_ walk in, the two of them would simply appear asleep. There was absolutely nothing wrong about the situation, Sasuke told himself—except, of course, the thoughts running through his mind.

And, of course, there were always hormones to consider.

The physical, nagging ones that had Sasuke tempted to both push Damien away and draw him nearer. As he contemplated which Damien would probably go for more, said teenager let out a tiny, unconscious breath and buried his face further into Sasuke's neck, nuzzling his skin affectionately without meaning to.

A part of Sasuke wondered if Damien was actually awake and simply doing all of this to tease him, but he knew his friend wasn't evil, and he probably wasn't…gay. It still sounded awkward, and it didn't seem to feel like himself. It was just slightly inaccurate—Sasuke figured he simply liked whom he liked, and that was all there was to it. That seemed like a much better answer, especially should his father discover these sudden hormone-driven urges.

But as Damien's hands restlessly ran across his chest, Sasuke was beginning to doubt his own pride and dignity. Was the kid _always_ this fucking _intimate_ in his sleep? It made Sasuke wonder, but that only lead to a thin layer of sweat beginning to build on his forehead and chest, his breath hitching lightly as his head fell back.

It wasn't that the position wasn't extremely comfortable—in fact, they had been like that for at least fifteen minutes, just lying there, before Damien had fallen asleep. Sasuke still had his arm curled around Damien, currently pinned by the boy's weight—which seemed to be about ninety, possibly eighty-five, pounds judging from how easy it was to move his arm around. That hand was currently stroking up and down Damien's side, from his shoulder, across his ribs, and down to his waist. Damien had snuggled up to Sasuke's side contently, putting his head on Sasuke's chest and let his hands stay a little lower—on his stomach or near his sides.

Sasuke sighed and watched Damien's expression, how peaceful and gentle it was. Damien was just so beautiful, it was hard to believe he was a seventeen-year-old boy sometimes—he looked more like a girl, really.

Sasuke snickered at the idea and wondered how many guys had asked Damien out, thinking that he was a girl. If he grew his hair out a little longer…Sasuke snorted and shook his head. No, Damien was perfect…or, wasn't perfect, he supposed—and that's why he liked him so much. Damien didn't try to be someone he wasn't, and that was the part of his personality that attracted Sasuke as well, along with the God-like body he had been given.

A sudden stir in his arms made Sasuke blink and glance down at his chest, where Damien shook his head lightly, yawning. Sasuke tilted his head, watching Damien struggle to open his eyes, tired and sleepy in a half-awake state of mind. Chuckling, Sasuke squeezed Damien's side gently, making the boy squirm against him.

"Go to sleep, Damien," Sasuke murmured, and Damien turned his dark, half-lidded eyes on him.

Something suddenly changed in those coal black eyes, and Sasuke felt the switch in moods immediately. All of a sudden, Damien didn't seem tired anymore, instead…the way his gaze looked intense and slightly confident… Sasuke returned the look with equal coolness, trying to work his mind fast enough to figure out what Damien was thinking.

But then Damien was moving, faster than he could come to a conclusion, turning his body and shifting up Sasuke's chest. Without meaning to, Sasuke held his breath in anticipation as Damien's body aligned itself with his, half way on top of him, legs curling near his. Damien rose his hands, bringing his arms around Sasuke's neck so they rested in the empty area above his head—and then he brought his head closer, until they were only a couple of inches away, all the while, never looking away from Sasuke's neutral gaze.

Sasuke was shocked.

_This_ was the Damien he had seen on the first day of school, being so calm and reserved, distanced from everybody else in the class—except Sasuke. But did this mean that Damien simply wanted to use Sasuke for something like…this? No, Sasuke didn't believe that Damien would do that—instead, this change of atmosphere honestly turned him on. He couldn't help the welcoming smirk that adorned his features, and didn't bother stopping what it brought upon himself...

The feel of Damien's lips was distinctively soft, and Sasuke let his eyes flutter closed as his instincts slowly forced his body to respond. He felt fingertips brushing the back of his skull, skimming through his bluish locks, and a twinge in his chest as Damien pressed his lips against his mouth tenderly. A part of him acknowledged the way Damien's back arched into his body, and Sasuke's hands came to rest on the slim angle of his waist.

Sasuke allowed his lips to move lightly against Damien's, tilting his head into the kiss. Somehow, though it was simple, the kiss didn't seem as innocent as one would figure—there were too many promises and emotions beneath the gesture for it to be considered innocent, especially with the way Sasuke's nerves were tingling excitedly at Damien's touch.

Something about kissing Damien was simply right, though, even if it was morally wrong or disgusting or _whatever_. It was as if a spark inside his soul had suddenly flared to life, burning brightly within him. He felt it as Damien's lips slid over his passionately, in the way Damien fit snugly against him, and when the younger, tinier boy slowly pulled his lips away from Sasuke's.

Both were hesitant to break the kiss, but finally they parted, taking deep breathes—it hadn't be a mind-blowing, lust-filled kiss, but it had certainly been full of emotion and energy. Sasuke found himself staring into lightless eyes, and suddenly, it felt like the world had been righted and everything _was _perfect.

There was nothing he could say to express the way that kiss had made him feel, and he decided that it was well enough, since Damien couldn't say anything in return—honestly, Sasuke hated conversation, and saying something stupid at this point would ruin the moment. Yes, he reluctantly admitted to himself that this was a "moment" between him and Damien, and he smirked wryly at the thought. He had never figured he would be one for romance or anything, but staring at Damien, he knew that he would go for anything just about now to feel those lips once more.

So he did, raising one hand to cup the back of Damien's skull. He pulled Damien towards him once more, meeting his lips halfway with a low hum of approval. Damien's fingers continued to play with his hair and Sasuke smiled at the gesture. Now that he thought about it, this wouldn't be a bad way to go to sleep every night.

When something nudged Sasuke's lips meekly, though, he paused and let his hands become still on Damien's waist. Immediately, feeling the hesitation, the younger boy drew back and bowed his head slightly. Sasuke could see the embarrassment, even without seeing Damien's eyes—the two coal orbs were shielded by a veil of hair. Sighing, Sasuke used one hand to lift up Damien's chin, but the boy still stubbornly refused to meet his gaze, glancing away as soon as his head rose. A blush warmed his cheeks, but Sasuke merely smiled and leaned forward to kiss him again.

This time, it was Sasuke who slipped his tongue past his lips. Damien seemed shaken now, more timid and anxious than before. Still, he granted Sasuke the entrance he desired and opened his mouth to Sasuke's awaiting tongue. Sasuke felt absolutely certain, even if he hadn't done anything like this before. He knew exactly how to move his tongue against Damien's, tenderly stroking the pink muscle into cooperative participation.

Only a minute later, the kiss had become _much_ more aggressive—enough so that Sasuke was gasping every time they pulled away for a breath. Letting his hands slid down Damien's waist to grip his ass, Sasuke rolled his body upward, his hips pushing against Damien's. The gesture made both boys break away for a second. Sasuke tilted his head back, letting out a soft moan of his own, whereas Damien's entire body tensed and shuddered violently above him. Smirking, Sasuke managed to lift up his hips again, pulling Damien's down so they could grind together for a mere two seconds before Sasuke's muscles weakened with pleasure.

He managed to stifle his moan, but his breathing was rough and edgy, especially with the tiny, hardly audible gasping sounds Damien was emitting. Without any further delay, the boy attacked his neck, making Sasuke close his eyes and lift his chin, giving him more access. A small purring sound erupted from Damien as he bit his way down Sasuke's throat, but it was such a soft, light sound, Sasuke had to wonder if he was imaging it.

Just as Damien's mouth was closing around his pulse point, though, something occurred to Sasuke. It was a strong enough realization to make him pause, coherent thoughts flooding through his mind and overriding the mind-numbing pleasure that had taken over his brain. He was making out with _Damien_ on his bed.

Yeah. Not good.

"Hey, hey, hey," he gasped suddenly, and managed to get his arms under Damien, gently pushing him away from his neck. Eyes even darker than an Uchiha's, glazed over with something that vaguely frightened Sasuke, stared back at him. Both were breathing hard, but Sasuke shook his head, running his fingers through Damien's hair affectionately. "We can't do any of this right now."

An offended look came across Damien's face at first, but before Sasuke could say anything, a new expression, one of thought and curiousity, crossed his face. Sasuke paused, staring up patiently, until Damien sighed, smiled a tiny, sad smile, and nodded in agreement. Sasuke knew they both wanted to continue, but neither of them were stupid enough to try anything that would get them in trouble. Damien had seen Sasuke's father, and Fugaku wasn't anybody who would go for the "gay" act, at all—especially in his own house. But that didn't keep Sasuke from whispering his next words.

"But hey, look at me," he murmured under his breath, and Damien turned his disappointed eyes over to him. Sasuke leaned up to give him one last close-mouthed kiss, his lips hard and firm against the younger boy's, who pressed back with equal, lust-driven force. When Sasuke pulled away, he looked straight into his eyes, and promised, "We _will_, though. Just not here, and not now, okay?"

Damien could only nod, but Sasuke had the feeling he was saying something more.

"_I'll be waiting."_


	4. Chapter 4

School?

It remained to be normal. Sure, Sasuke found himself trading tiny glances with Damien all throughout class now, but besides that, everything was normal. Irritatingly so, almost, as more and more girls were regaining the courage to approach him. One after another, girls of every kind would flirt and giggle and literally fight over him.

Thankfully, though, Damien never seemed to get jealous or angry over this. When it first happened after they had kissed, on the following Tuesday, Sasuke had felt like the entire world had completely stopped. He was the same never-gonna-care-about-what-others-think person, but when that girl practically threw herself at him, Sasuke didn't know _what_ to think. He just knew he didn't want it to happen again.

But faithful Damien, standing to the side just behind him wasn't fazed at all. Actually, the boy was smiling in amusement by the time Sasuke had detached the girl and urged her away. With a tiny nudge of the arm and a shrug, Damien assured Sasuke that there was no way he was at all intimidated or worried.

So, the whole shy thing wasn't exactly an act, but it certainly didn't cover the entirety of Damien's personality. Quiet or not—not considering his disability—Damien was probably the most confident person Sasuke had met other than himself. No matter what it was, he was always stepping forward without hesitation and succeeding. Whether it was academics, sports, or merely putting up with people, Damien didn't need protection whatsoever. His clinging to Sasuke had nothing to do with using him as a shield or guide. He merely liked him.

It made Sasuke feel…important.

That alone was strange, as the only other person who had ever made him feel that way was his brother. His father had never even spared him a second glance unless it was to reprimand him for one thing or another, and his mother was usually compliant to whatever her husband said. Girls loved him only for his looks. Itachi was the only one who was always really there for him, always making sure he was doing well and fine…

Damien was the same way, simply quieter. Instead of with words, Damien let Sasuke know he was there with touches. Whenever a girl began to irritate him, Damien would brush his fingers along the top of his wrist and hand. If he was talking too fast, a simple tap on the waist or shoulder would get his attention. Should something bother Sasuke, the other would squeeze his knee under the table or brush his hair back when they were in private.

It got to the point where Sasuke hated being away from Damien. It was as if the boy had completely become Sasuke's anchor. He began to spend more time with him in between classes and after school and on the weekends. When he couldn't be with him in person, he was texting him on the phone or using the computer. More and more, as weeks went by, Damien became the most significant part of Sasuke's life.

Of course, he didn't realize that until his father asked to speak to him alone.

"You…wanted to see me?" Sasuke asked, poking his head in his father's office. He tried not to stutter or pause, but it was hard when Fugaku's hard eyes locked on him. Sasuke felt targeted, as if he was being set up for the blow. A hard blow.

"If I didn't, I wouldn't have told your mother to get you," he snapped. Immediately, Sasuke felt his face twist in a slight grimace, but he stifled the awkward expression, letting his face go deadpan as he stepped into the office and shut the door behind him. He moved up to the desk his father sat behind, but he didn't bother sitting down. "I need to talk to you about your relationship with his mute person at your school."

Sasuke felt both of his eyebrows raise in surprise at this. Nobody had shown any interest at all in his friendship with Damien…had they? Had he been too involved with Damien he hadn't bothered to hide it? Well…he didn't talk about Damien all too much, especially after the dinner… But he had been in his room a lot more and his phone bill had gone up significantly…Was it really so noticeable?

"Are you friends with this person?" Fugaku asked, eyebrow quirked. His hands were folded on the desk and Sasuke felt the lump in his throat begin to swell. He swallowed it down.

"I am," was his answer, weak and quiet. He felt powerless under his father's cynical gaze. It immediately became disapproving.

"Why?" Fugaku growled, surprising Sasuke to the point of speechlessness. He struggled for words, afraid his silence would further anger his father, but Fugaku was speaking rapidly within moments, "His family is of absolutely no social status whatsoever. They are not a part of any corporation or business, just another regular family. And his handicap proves his usefulness as a person diminishing. Why do you waste your time on such a worthless person? It's shameful."

"He's…just a friend," Sasuke stuttered, chest clenching painfully. _Shut up…_

"No," Fugaku said firmly, glaring. "You're spending too much time with him for my taste. It's pointless to maintain a relationship with him anymore. I'm sure this person knows the school well enough, so there's no reason to 'show him around' as you put it before."

"His name is Damien," Sasuke said, not noticing how his voice rose, how his fists curled at his sides. _Shut up._

"I don't care what his name is," Fugaku said, standing, as if the conversation was about to end. "You seem more distant than ever in the past month, Sasuke. I forbid you from contact with him before your future begins to suffer from it. His problems aren't yours. He is not your friend. He's simply a classmate. He is of no significance to you."

"_Shut up_!"

The silence that followed was mind-blowing. Sasuke nearly fell over in shock when he realized what he had done, but his heart kept him up, kept his eyes narrowed into dangerous slits at his father…who looked ready to faint himself. Before Fugaku could recover, Sasuke was speaking, keeping his voice deadly low instead of yelling again.

"Shut…up," he repeated, watching his father. For the first time, he realized he was _taller_ than Fugaku, and he felt bigger, stronger… It gave him confidence. Damien. He felt his lips pull into a mocking sneer. "I honestly don't give a _damn_ what you say about him. I don't fucking _care_ if you think he isn't good for the family name. I don't give a shit about reputation or anything else you say. If you want that, then talk to Itachi. Talk to Mom. But I don't want you controlling what _I_ do. You've chosen this long to ignore me and everything I do. If you're going to pick now to pay attention to me, then forget it. Damien is _my friend_. I'm not letting him go."

"What is he to you?" Fugaku asked slowly, suspiciously. Sasuke felt his face freeze up, felt his heart chill over, stop pumping. He didn't know the answer to that question. Apparently, his father did. "Sasuke…"

That tone. It was a dangerous tone, a life-threatening tone Sasuke had heard millions of times before. It was the voice that meant Sasuke was dead. He wasn't going to hear it this time.

"It…_I_ am no longer your business," he growled, then turned and swept out of the room hurriedly. He heard his father say something, but he ignored it.

He was practically running by the time he got to the living room. When he got to the front door, Itachi was dropping a key in his hand and thrusting a leather jacket at him. Sasuke blinked as Itachi ruffled his hair with a satisfied expression.

"I'll call you when it's safe," he murmured, then shoved Sasuke out the door.

The bike. Itachi had never let Sasuke anywhere _near_ his motorcycle, the treasured black crotch rocket that had taken Fugaku years to accept. It had been sitting on the far side of the garage under Itachi's attentive care all this time. Sasuke knew how to ride it only because Itachi had snuck him to classes and had gotten him a legal license "just in case of emergencies."

His brother considered this an emergency? Funny. So did Sasuke.

* * *

Well, obviously, there was only one place to go in this particular situation. Before Fugaku somehow managed to call up Damien's parents, Sasuke had to get to Damien. On his way to his house, though, Sasuke began to wonder what exactly was causing him to panic so badly.

It was obvious, though, wasn't it? He could no longer deny it: he cared about Damien—a lot. His whole life had begun to revolve around the boy, and he had been completely oblivious to it solely because he was too caught up in the feeling of it. Over the past few weeks, Sasuke realized he'd been happier than he'd ever been. Damien had become everything.

And now he had to figure out what the hell he was going to do—just whisk Damien away, far from both their families? Right. That was realistic. Well, to start, they were both able to legally leave the house, so his father couldn't say he'd "run away" or anything. He would just chill somewhere secretive for a few days until Itachi called him. Yeah, that would work…hopefully.

However, he still had to think logically, and logics included sufficient food, money, and shelter. He arrived at Damien's neighborhood and cut his speed down considerably so he could pull over for a moment. He sent Damien a quick text telling him he should wait outside, and then he followed the directions Damien had given him before. Sasuke had never been to his house, but he was able to find it easily.

It was relatively small compared to Sasuke's home, but built with an eighteenth-century appeal that made it seem old and expensive. Damien was sitting on the curb in front of a freshly mowed lawn, playing with sleeves of his jacket idly…adorably.

When he looked up, the initial look on his face was one of surprise, but Sasuke's eyes quickly found the spark of excitement in Damien's. With ease he had never really noticed he had before all this—when he was with Damien, impressing him seemed vital—Sasuke pulled up in front of the driveway and held out the helmet that had been nestled safely behind him, one identical to his own.

Without a single hesitation or fear, Damien lifted himself off the ground, took the helmet, and swung his leg over the bike behind Sasuke. The Uchiha inhaled sharply as Damien pressed his entire body to Sasuke's backside, every curve of their bodies fitting together in blissful, absolute perfection. And then Damien was wrapping his arms around his chest, and in silence, he told him with a firm squeeze: "_I trust you."_

Damien would follow Sasuke anywhere.

They roared halfway down the street, accelerating enough so Sasuke could spin the bike around and speed back to the highway.

And then they were running.

* * *

When Sasuke had left his father's office, he had had every intention of running away and getting as far as possible from everything he had ever known. With Damien behind him, it felt so unbelievably easy, he sped away from the small town he had grown up in and raced for the nearest, most obscure way to go: Highway 51.

It was the fastest route to Raleigh, something Sasuke knew from countless, boring-beyond-belief business trips his father had dragged him and Itachi on when they were younger. However, despite the large city it eventually led to, the majority of the trip had always been on a long, relatively empty two-lane road. Fields and crops stretched out on both sides, occasionally broken by clumps of trees or whole acres of clustered woods. Autumn tinted the leaves gold and red, and with the way they fluttered in the slight breeze and glinted in the afternoon light, it looked as though the trees were on fire whenever he would glance to his right or left.

The bike definitely looked out of place here in the open country, and if his father came this way looking for him, any on-lookers would undoubtedly be able to point him in their direction. But that was exactly why Sasuke had chosen to travel this way. His father would immediately assume they would go to one of the nearer big cities, like Morehead or Jacksonville. Neither were inconspicuous, but both cities were large and easy to hide in. Plus, his father hated the country-like atmosphere that now surrounded Sasuke.

Along the way was a small assortment of little farmhouses scattered along the road. As Sasuke passed them, he found he admired the way everything had a rundown, handmade look. Each house had character, whether it was state-of-the-art or not. Everything had a history, a special place that was older than any of the buildings in the newly modeled Uchiha estate. There was a feeling of pride in this peaceful, endless road of southern delight. He could imagine the exhausted, accomplished feeling one would get after nailing the last shingle in place to the house built just for your family, the love you would experience at a home-cooked meal you actually grew and worked for yourself. The solitude…the tranquility…the beauty…

They came to the nearest town about forty-five minutes later, and Sasuke pulled into the first gas station he saw. Considering the size of the tiny town, he figured it was probably the only one for miles. It was the first they'd seen since they left. With a sigh, he parked the bike and cut the engine, waiting for Damien to get off so he could do the same. When the younger failed to do so, however, Sasuke slipped his helmet off and slid off carefully to turn and look at Damien with a questioning look. What he found made him grow warm.

With the smallest of irritated frowns, almost a pout, really, Damien was looking down at himself. He had removed his helmet, so it was easy to see the irresistible expression on his face, but what really grabbed Sasuke attention was his _hands_…currently massaging the insides of both thighs. Sasuke blinked, watching the way his fingers and palms moved in total practiced synchronization, moving up and down, pushing, pulling, pressing into the tender muscles that were sore from the long trip…in such an awkward, uncomfortable position…

He knew the second Damien caught him staring, because his hands suddenly stilled and Sasuke, face turning more, jerked his gaze up to Damien's eyes. They were peeking at him from beneath layers of black hair, shy and quiet, but almost inviting in the way they stared at him. Sasuke coughed to clear his throat.

"Maybe you should try walking around a little," he suggested, trying to sound nonchalant and casual despite his horribly tainted mind. With a tiny smile, Damien nodded and proceeded to gingerly lift himself off the bike. Sasuke offered his hand in support, which Damien gratefully accepted, leaning against Sasuke as he stepped over the bike. "Yeah, it takes a while to get used to that."

But the only thing Sasuke could think of was Damien being sore from something _else_.

With another distracting cough, Sasuke smiled grimly at Damien and stepped back, nodding toward the convenient store. Nodding, Damien followed him inside, where they were met with a wide assortment of stares. The near front of the store, right near the windows, apparently served as a café or diner-like place. Beyond the circular, wooden tables were the familiar aisles of a normal gas station. What was even weirder, however, was the way everybody who happened to be sitting at the tables looked up all at once to stare at who had come in, and once they realized the customers were outsiders, a silence overcame them.

In response, Sasuke lifted his chin and met their gazes evenly, knowing without looking that Damien was probably doing the same. Despite the playful way he acted with Sasuke, Damien was a real Uchiha at heart. After just a moment, the stares twitched away one by one and a comfortable murmur of conversation picked up again. And when Sasuke met Damien's gaze, it seemed they had had the same idea.

* * *

Five minutes later, they were seated comfortably in one of the corners nearest to the door and a wide window. Sasuke ran his hands over the mug in his hands, the warm steam rising up and coasting off his face familiarly. The smell of tea was welcome, and a different kind of warmth filled him as he watched Damien stare out the window, sipping at his own cup.

How had he gotten into such a mess? If someone had told him the day before his senior year started that he'd be miles away from home because of a mute, insecure, clingy young man with a startling appearance similar to his own…he might have actually considered laughing before punching the insolent person in the face.

But here he was, with tiny, defiant-with-anyone-except-Sasuke, speechless little Damien…drinking tea in a gas station in the middle of nowhere. He sighed deeply and tilted his head back. He had changed so much in the past few… Well, it wasn't just weeks, now that he thought about it. He had met Damien in August, on the first day of school, and it was coming close to the middle of November. North Carolina being so strange, it was hard to tell since the weather was so unstable throughout the year…but it had been months. And over that period, Sasuke had stopped counting the days until graduation, quit dreading the impending morning, became slightly freer in his speech and the attention he allowed others. Very slowly, and without Sasuke realizing it, Damien had softened his heart, changed the soul that had festered angrily within him since his birth.

A soft hand brushing his made Sasuke peek his eyes open, glancing in Damien's direction. He was met with a sad smile that asked the obvious: _"Are you alright?"_ It was obvious Damien felt guilty, even though Sasuke hadn't even told him what had happened with Fugaku yet. He assumed it was obvious, that Damien could read him as easily as Sasuke could him, and that being said, Damien was going to blame himself. To assure him that he wasn't, Sasuke turned his hand so he could link his fingers with Damien's. He hoped his tired smile was enough to tell Damien he was happy.

It was like he was so content, he just wanted to curl with the young man in front of him and go to sleep, never to wake up again. He felt like if he fell asleep, the dream would never end. His happiness would continue on forever. It was illogical and irrational, and possibly flavored with a bit of girlish silliness, but Sasuke had never felt so innately attached to anyone, not even Itachi. Then again, Itachi was his brother. Not too long ago, Sasuke had considered Damien a brother… Had his feelings grown?

Probably. Even now, it felt nice to publicly display the affection between them, even with such subtle gestures that probably went unnoticed by the entire world. Well, considering his father's blow-up, maybe they weren't always so subtle about it. Still, the teasing way their legs would brush, or their fingers twisting and playing with each other, or how Damien's gaze darted in and out of Sasuke's carefully. Every now and then, they would just stare at each other, uninterrupted and unbroken, but neither cared to keep track of how long. When the moment was over, they would simply allow it to end and wait for another to come along.

But the point being, Sasuke really liked it. He enjoyed all the ways Damien made his stomach tingle, how every bit of him felt warm and fuzzy in his presence. Nothing else in the world could make him feel so…like himself. There were not enough words to explain it, or maybe too many to fit entirely into Sasuke's head. Only his emotions were expression enough, and as soon as he got the chance, he wanted Damien to understand that.

"Excuse me," came the most feminine voice he'd ever heard, and that was one among many considering his admirers. Surprised, he wiped his expression as blank as he could and turned to the source in unison with Damien. Meeting his gaze was that of a curious woman, her eyes a shade of deep blue that fit her light southern accent and curly blonde hair. She hesitated for a moment, and then offered a charming smile that was purposely non-offensive. "I just couldn't help but notice the two of you. You are just so cute… I hope it's not too rude of me to ask, but…I just have to know. Are you two a couple?"

Sasuke felt his eyebrows rise in slight surprise. To answer honestly…well, he really couldn't. He knew he cared for Damien deeply, and he was pretty sure the feelings were as mutual as they could be. They had explored in the areas of a slightly more physical relationship just a few times, nothing more than some heavy making out when they were sure they were in private—a light kiss or brushing of fingers when no one was looking. They were practically attached at the hip, always going places together or, if something was keeping them apart, they were always in some sort of constant communication. But…a couple?

"Well, not exactly," Sasuke said carefully, his words slow and unsure. As he said them, however, he felt himself smile, one of those smiles you just couldn't help when you'd been caught lying. His eyes turned to Damien curiously and found his expression similar to his feelings. Smile growing, he let his voice fade to a murmur as he finished, "Kind of…yeah."

"Oh, that is just too adorable!" the woman exclaimed, though Sasuke would guess her to not be much older than himself. She just held the type of "young lady charm" appeal that made her sem older than she was. It was then he noticed the other girls, all very much like the first, giggling and smiling in ways that were refreshingly _un_like the girls back at school. "You know, not many folk nowadays can make a relationship work, but it was just so obvious how you two felt about each other when you walked in! I mean, it's just clear as day that you adore each other! I really hope you guys stay together for a really long time."

"Yeah," Sasuke said with a nervous chuckle, escaping her wide, open eyes by glancing to Damien. He had that calm, unreadable expression, the one so full it was impossible to pick apart the details of his thoughts or emotions. Running his thumb over Damien's knuckles, he added softly, "Me too."

Immediately, a chorus of giggles and "Aws" rose in appreciation at his tenderness…his cheesy dorkiness, Sasuke put more accurately. Girls were in love with romance of every kind, and it seemed his and Damien's own little story was no exception. He almost blushed, but he hadn't changed _that_ much. He vaguely noticed they had attracted even more attention from surrounding peoples, but nothing hostile, thankfully, merely curious and openly friendly. That's when one of the other darker haired girls seemed to gain a little confidence and gave a pointed look to Damien.

"But you seem to be mighty shy, huh?" she said teasingly, but Sasuke felt Damien stiffen almost immediately. "Aren't you at least gonna say hi?"

"Amy!" the blonde scolded with eyes even wider than before. The dark-haired girl only shrugged, and responded with a smile that showed she meant no harm.

"Well, it's only polite," she giggled, and despite her previous attitude, even the blonde turned to Damien, patiently waiting for him to say something. Sasuke squeezed Damien's hand for a moment before turning to the girls.

"He can't," he said, trying not to be too blunt, but when their blank looks of confusion showed they didn't comprehend, he sighed and nodded as a gesture to Damien. "He would say anything, really, but he can't. He's mute."

More silence. Great. It was like the first day of high school all over again, and he knew Damien didn't like it. Within seconds, the shocked look exploded into one of apologetic sympathy, and the entire group of girls burst into a fit of hysterics. Sasuke sucked in deeply and turned to Damien, who blinked only once before offering a real smile and shaking his head, gesturing for them to forget it quietly.

"I really am sorry!" the dark-haired girl said quickly, gasping for breath and stuttering on her words as if she wasn't sure they were good enough. "I just had no idea, and I didn't mean any offense or nothin'. I was only teasin' and if I had known, I wouldn't have even thought to say such a mean thing!"

"Amy really didn't mean it!" the blonde hurriedly chased her friend's words with her own. "We were just tryin' to be nice, honest! We're all real sorry. Please, please do forgive us!"

"It's fine," Sasuke suddenly spoke up, and the girls hushed at the sound of his strong voice. Wide-eyed, they traded glances in between Damien, who nodded gratefully in response to Sasuke's words, and Sasuke, who was staring calmly at Damien. "He says that there's no need to apologize. It's not like you knew or anything, so he doesn't really mind. Plus, he doesn't like the sympathy it gets him, because it makes him feel awkward. He…said he'd rather you just treat him normally, like you would any other passerby or stranger."

Damien met his gaze, carefully arranging his expression to conceal his slight surprise from everyone but Sasuke. With a smile, the Uchiha squeezed his hand knowingly. It seemed Damien had never known just how well Sasuke could read him. Especially when Damien blushed the lightest of pinks, the first time in public as far as Sasuke knew, and nodded at the girls. _"That's exactly right."_

"Wow," the blonde breathed, eyes lighting up as if she'd just watched some romantic movie. It seemed that's what he and Damien were becoming nowadays, like _Romeo and Juliet_ or something. Sasuke paused. That…sounded weird. He focused back on the girl when she started talking again, "That was just amazing. You know everything he's thinking, don't you?"

"Not at all," Sasuke laughed, actually letting himself chuckle as he ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. "I have to ask myself what he's thinking just about every second of the day. But when he wants to be heard…well, I'm just good at translating."

"That…" a freckled red-head sighed, and Sasuke swore she started to tear up. "That is just too adorable! I wish my boyfriend could do that for _me_. You two sure are lucky."

"Just lucky we found each other, that's all," Sasuke said with a smile, resulting in more squeals and giggles from the group of southern girls. Then, staring into Damien's eyes, which seemed more open and loving and full of emotion than Sasuke had ever seen them, Sasuke had an idea. Looking up at the girls, he asked, "Do you know of a place we could stay?"

* * *

**Okay, so I noticed that my chapters are actually getting shorter with this story, but it's all good! I promise. This story, I believe, is coming to a sound conclusion very soon. I think I have a pretty good ending. It's just a matter of getting there. I have the next chapter sketched out, and for those who are enjoying this pairing and enjoy straight-up yaoi even more, I think you might truly love what I have planned. I've been working on little details for weeks, so I hope this meets your standards. For those that don't understand:**

**I will be forced to change the rating to..._M._ Oh my gosh, gasp! Haha. Keep reading and reviewing! **

**AnimeCountDown**


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